Egg-crate



N0. 6|2,828. Patented Oct. 25, |398. 0. P. CRIM.

EGG CRATE.

(Application filed Sept. 9, 1897.)

- (No Modei.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

orIs r. CRIM, 0E ANDERSON, INDIANA.

EGG-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,828, dated October 25, 1898.

Application filed September 9, 1897. Serial No. 651,082. (No model.)

To @ZZ when?, t may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS P. CRIM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Crates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective View of my improved crate. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of same. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the upper portion removed. Figs. e and 5 are detail views, and Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a modified form of catch.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in crates used for the shipment of eggs, fruits, dac., and is designed to provide a crate of this character wherein the eggs or other articles are carried in such a manner as to eectually guard,

against their breakage or injury, which may be carried either upon its sides or ends or either side up, which is constructed in sections, each of which is adapted to contain 'one layer of eggs, and which are so arranged that any section, with its contents, may be readily removed from the crate; also, to provide means for securely holding the sections together and for permitting a free circulation of air therethrough.

Vith these objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pinted out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one of my improved crates constructed in two sections, (designated, respectively, by the num erals 'l and 2.) Each of said sections is coniposed of two parts A and B. Each of these parts consists in anopen frame, usually of rectangular form, the frame A having a tilling of wire cloth or netting (indicated at a) of ne mesh, while the frame B has a filling composed of intersecting wires b, which form a plurality of cells or compartments. Both the transverse and longitudinal wires are of Pivoted to each end portion of the frame A of each section is a bail C, which is wider at the top than at the bottom, and rigidly secured to the same at each end is a vertical catch-arm D, having an arrow or spear shaped head d. Pivoted to the part B of each section are two swinging hooks E, which are formed with catch-heads e, adapted to lockingly engage with the heads CZ..

F designates a removable top covering for the upper crate-section, and Gr is a top piece which is somewhat longer than the crate, so that its end portions project slightly beyond the ends of the crate, as shown. This piece is formed in two sections, one of which has an end tongue g, which iits a socket g of the other section, and is detachably secured therein by means of a removable U-shaped pin' k.

rlhe frames of the sections are formed with air-holes 7c, which, together with the wire cloth or netting separating the layers of eggs and the open cells or compartments formed by the wires b, permita free circulation of air through the crate.

In use one of the lower frames A is placed upon a suitable support, with an upper frame B resting thereon and firmly secured thereto by means of the catch devices Dand E. The eggs or other articles to be shipped are then placed in the cells or compartments formed by the wires b, with their lower ends resting upon the wire-cloth a'. Then the rst section has been' filled, a second section is placed thereon and filledinlike manner. Although I have shown the crate as having but two sections, three or more sections may be used, or a single section can be used alone. When the desired number of sections have been placed and iilled, the top covering F is placed over the upper section, the several bails C of the sections are interlocked with each other in the manner shown in Fig. l, and the bails of the upper section are engaged with the projecting end portions of the top piece G. The two sections of said top piece are then fitted together and secured by the pin 7e. The several sections are in this manner securely held together. By disengaging the IOO bails any section of the crate, with its contents, can be removed without disturbing the other sections.

The eggs being seated between wire-cloth at top and bottom and entirely separated from each other laterally by the wires IJ, it will be readily seen that they are protected from breakage and that the crates may be transported in any desired position. The crate can be turned entirely over at intervals to prevent settling and spoiling of the eggs.

As af urther means forsecuring the sections in place the frames B may be provided with pins P, which engage holes in the frames A, as shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein -described crate for shipping eggs and other articles, said crate consisting of two or more superimposed, separable, sections, each ot' which consists of a bottom frame having a filling of wire cloth or netting, and an upper ventilated frame having a filling composed of intersecting wires which form open cells or compartments, catch devices for securing together the two frames of each sec-V tion, bails pivoted to each section and adapted to interlock with each other, a top covering for the upper section, and a two-part top piece having projecting ends adapted to be engaged by the bails of the upper section, together with means for detachably connecting the two parts of said top piece, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTIS P. CRIM.

Vitnesses:

D. C. CHIPMAN, SAMUEL P. MOORE. 

